Manifold valve for slush pumps



Oct. 8, 1935. c 1 MCGUFFIN 2,017,033

MANIFOLD VALVE FOR SLUSH PUMPS Filed Feb. 9, 1935 4 FIG. 3. I VENT0R.

Patented Oct. 8, 1935 v UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE MANIFOLD VALVE FOR SLUSH PUMPS Charlie L. McGuffin, Ada, Okla. Application February 9, 1935, Serial No. 5,841

. 1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in manifold valve for slush pumps especially adapted for use in drilling high pressure oil and gas wells.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a device of this character which is positive in action, simple and inexpensive in construction; new, novel and easily operated; which is strong, durable, reliable. and of evident utility; which cannot easily get out of order and is efficient for the purposes for which it is intended; to provide a valve having direct connection with two slush pumps by means of two renewable bushing members forming valve seats; to provide two valves so mounted upon a swinging arm that when one valve is seated and its axis is in a vertical plane the other valve will be unseated and its axis will be in a horizontal plane; to provide sufiicient play in the mounting of the said valves on the said swinging arm so as to make positive the seating of the said valves; and to provide inexpensive, easily renewablerepairs for the parts that wear out.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists of the construction, novel features and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying onesheet drawing and pointed out in the claim hereto appended. Various changes in the form, proportion, size, shape, weight and minor details of construction,within the scope of my invention may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or broad principle of my invention or yielding any of its benefits.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a side view of the device in section; Fig. 2 is an end view in section and Fig. 3 is an exterior view showing the connections to two pumps.

In the following description like reference numbers designate like parts in all the figures, and it is to be understood that the drawing is to be interpreted as being illustrative and not restrictive.

In the rotary method of drilling oil and gas wells, powerful pumps are employed to circulate the drilling, mud or slush down through the drilling stem or pipe to the cutting tools or cones attached to the bottom of said stem. The drilling fluid or mud is forced out of the stem at the bottom where it picks up the particles of rock, sand, etc., encountered by the cutting tools and carries these cuttings back up to the surface slush pits. The coarse cuttings settle in the slush pits and the mud or slush is circulated again and again. The valves and other parts of the slush pumps are continually wearing out due to the abrading action of the grit contained in the mud being circulated, hence these valves need replacing at frequent intervals. If the circulation is stopped it is diificult, especially in wellsa. mile or more in depth, to start again so in order to insure continuous cir- 5 culation two pumps are connected to the drillstem. Then when one is being repaired the other will be-in service. It is necessary to'switch instantly from one pump to the other. My improved manifold valve will accomplish this of itself. It is so constructed that the parts of said valve which are subject to wear can be replaced at little expense in labor and material and with only slight interruption to continuous service.

One embodiment of my invention is shown as follows: Manifold body I is closed at the top by flanged removable cover 2 having a threaded connection 3 for a pipe 23 leading to the goose neck for attachment to the drilling stem. Bolts 4 secure cover 2 to the body I and a gasket 5 is seated between said members I and 2, offset shoulder 6 insuring correct registration of the said parts. Two identical bushings I and 8 are screw connected to the bottom of body I, having ground valve seats 9 and I0 formed at their upper ends. Each bushing is provided with a hexagonal flange I I and I2 to form a tight connection between said bushing and body I by means of a wrench, external threads I3 and I4 seating in like threads in the said body I. Internal threads I5 and I6 on said bushings 1 and 8 provide for pipe connections I1 and I8 to pumps I9 and 20, not fully shown in Fig. 3 except by air chambers 2| and 22. Pipe 23 seated in threads 3 of cover 2 connects the manifold valve to the goose neck leading to the drill stem.

As can best be seen in Figs. 1 and 2, swinging arm 24 is mounted upon pivot pin 25 adjustably held between plugs 26, screwed into the walls of body I. Swinging arm 24 is provided with two branches 2! and 28 to which are attached valves 29 and 39 respectively. Each valve is provided with a four-wing guide 3| and 32 for insuring the seating of the said valves in ground valve seats 9 and I0. Bolts 33 and 34 on said valves 29 and 30 are smaller than holes 35 and 36 in branches 2'! and 28 in order to allow suflicient play to insure positive seating of said valves under all working conditions. Castle nuts and cotter keys 31 and 38 are seated on bolts 33 and 34 so as to allow slight axial play of said valves and further the positive seating of the valves. y

In Fig. 1 is illustrated the position of the valves 29 and 3|] when pump I9 is closed down and pump 20 is circulating the drilling fluid or mud through the bushing 8, body I andout through cover 2 and pipe 23 and thence to the drilling stem. The drilling fluid passing through the body I is under several hundred pounds pressure in order to keep up the circulation and this internal pressure holds valve 29 securedly in closed position while repairs and replacements are being made on pump l9. When pump 20 is closed down and pump I9 is' opened up arm 24 and its attached valves will swing over automatically in the direction indicated by the arrows until valve 3 0 will be seated in ground valve seat I0, thus closing the connection to pump 20 and allowing any necessary repairs to be made thereon. The unseated valve, as

30 in Fig. 1, is out of the direct line of flow of the drilling mud and will be subject to very little wear. The valve seat I!) on bushing 8 is larger than the pipe I8 from pump 20, being equal to the" external diameter of the said pipe l8 and will therefore not be subject to much wear. But

should these members 8 and 30 or 1 and 29 wear out. they may be easily replaced at very little expense in labor and material.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A slush pump manifold valve of the class described, including a manifold body having a flanged cover provided with a threaded connection for an outlet pipe; bolt and gasket means for holding and securing said cover to said body; ofiset shoulder means for registering said cover and body in proper alinement, the base of said body having two symmetrically placed threaded openings; bushings adapted for seating in said openings and having ground valve seats formed at their upper, inner ends; hexagonal flanges on said bushings for removably seating said bushings in 10 said body; a swinging arm mounted upon a pivot pin centered between said bushings and in the plane of the said ground valve seats; adjusting plugs at both ends of said pivot pin; said swinging arm having two branches placed at right 15 angles to each other, each of said branches having a hub opening for receiving a bolt of smaller diameter than said opening; a valve integral with said bolt and so secured to each of said branches by a castle nut and cotter key as to have some axial movement; a four wing guide on each of said valves for centering said valves in said valve seats, said swinging arm being adapted to automatically and alternately close the connection to one of said bushings by fluid pressure from the connection of the other of said bushings.

CHARLIE L. MoGUFFIN. 

